# Accident 20110823018969A: Beechcraft A23-24, Palo Alto, CA, August 23, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 23, 2011, 09:43 local time
- Place: Palo Alto, CA
- Airport: Palo Alto Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.7833° N, 122.2000° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.7833&lon=-122.2000&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5779V, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5779V-2014-07-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech A23-24 (registry code 1151226, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a23-24) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 SER A&C (registry code 41511, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECHCRAFT A23-24
- Reported engine: LYCOMING I0360 SER A&C
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 620 total, 6 in this make and model, 150 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR11FA403](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11FA403) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110823018969A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON AUGUST 23, 2011, PIC AND CFI ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS INSTRUCTING STUDENT PILOT AND AIRCRAFT OWNER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IN N5779V, A SINGLE ENGINE 1966 BEECHCRAFT MUSKETEER.  SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM KPAO AT 1043, THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE MISSED, THEN FAILED.  THE PILOTS DECLARED AN EMERGENCY, AND THE PIC LANDED THE AIRCRAFT IN A FIELD APPROXIMATELY TWO MILES NORTH OF THE AIRPORT.  THE PILOTS STATED THEY HAD 25 GALLONS OF FUEL (15 IN THE RIGHT TANK AND ROUGHLY 10 IN THE LEFT TANK) AT THE START OF THE DAY, AND HAD FLOWN TRAFFIC PATTERNS FOR ONE HOUR PRIOR TO THE ENGINE FAILURE.  FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT, THE AIRCRAFT CONTAINED 12 GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK AND 2 CUPS OF FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK; NEITHER FUEL TANK WAS BREACHED BY THE IMPACT.    THE TWO PILOTS WERE THE ONLY OCCUPANTS AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR11FA403](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11FA403), Aug 23, 2011: Beech A23-24 (N5779V), Palo Alto, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student’s and flight instructor’s mismanagement of the fuel supply, resulting in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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